Tiny homes open in Matlacha, still a possibility for Cape Coral

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.(Photo: Amanda Inscore/The News-Press)Buy Photo

Those looking for a micro-getaway in Matlacha's newly opened tiny homes will have to wait until at least April to get a reservation.

That's how far out the bite-sized homes for rent in Matlacha Tiny Village are booked, according to owner Dean Calhoun. He said since the village's grand opening last week, tourists from Europe, Canada and all across the U.S. are staying in the units, which are about the size of a small garage at 200 square feet.

"Everybody's drawn to them," Calhoun said, adding that they can be thought of as motel rooms.

In the former Three Palms RV park off Pine Island Road and Matlacha Avenue, the village has four types of units, with the least expansive at $129 per night, according to the website.

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Dean Calhoun installs blinds in one of the tiny houses at Matlacha Tiny Village on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, in Matlacha. They have two tiny homes and two units in a renovated trailer that they use as hotel rooms in the heart of town.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

The tiny houses for rent at Matlacha Tiny Village have a bedroom in the back, a loft, and a couch that can convert into a bed along with a full bathroom. The kitchen has a two burner stovetop, sink, a microwave and a refrigerator.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

The tiny houses for rent at Matlacha Tiny Village have a bedroom in the back, a loft, and a couch that can convert into a bed along with a full bathroom. The kitchen has a two burner stovetop, sink, a microwave and a refrigerator.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

Matlacha Tiny Village just opened for guests this week. They have two tiny houses and two units in a renovated mobile home in the middle of Matlacha. The property used to be an RV park.
Amanda Inscore/The News-Press

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Calhoun said he doesn't rent at-the-door; all sales come through websites such as Aribnb, Booking.com and Expedia.

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The tiny houses for rent at Matlacha Tiny Village have a bedroom in the back, a loft, and a couch that can convert into a bed along with a full bathroom. The kitchen has a two burner stovetop, sink, a microwave and a refrigerator.(Photo: Amanda Inscore/The News-Press)

The possibility of tiny homes in Cape Coral was a hot topic among residents and city officials last year, and while the tiny homes as seen on TV aren't allowed in the Cape, a version of tiny living units could be in the city's future. The planning division is working on a city code update that may include certain places where "micro cottages" could be allowed.

Planning Manager Bob Pederson said units such as those in Matlacha don't meet Cape Coral's building codes, and the city doesn't allow the rental of a home for less than a week.

"The direction we received from council was to look for alternatives to micro cottages with the code rewrite project that is already underway," Pederson said, adding that the code update could be complete this year.

Micro cottages in the Cape would need to be on a foundation, he said, and would be treated as single-family homes.

While tiny homes are touted as sustainable, minimalist alternatives to standard housing, the price can be more expensive per square foot than standard-sized homes. Tiny homes in other cities are usually clustered in pockets so as to not affect the property values of other homes.

The News-Press previously reported that micro cottages in the Cape will likely start around 610 square feet, after conforming to state building codes, and that aspiring tiny home builders are already hoping to create tiny communities in the city.